UW Social Work Grad Student Presents Research on National Stage

A Master of Social Work (MSW) student with the University of Wyoming’s Division of Social Work, housed in the College of Health Sciences, recently presented research on a national stage along with her former faculty adviser.

Morgan Pfister, of Buffalo, was invited to present at the annual Society of Social Work Research conference last month in Seattle for her contributions to a project she worked on with Sukyung Yoon, a former assistant professor with the UW Division of Social Work who is now a faculty member at the University of North Texas. Their research was titled "Family Conflict and Mental Health in the Largest Outbreak Areas during COVID-19.”

“I want to recognize the generosity of Dr. Sukyung Yoon, who granted me third authorship on her research while I was her graduate assistant,” Pfister says. “It was a privilege to get to work for and learn from her, and her invitation is what got the ball rolling to make this all possible.”

Pfister, who expects to graduate with her MSW in May -- eventually pursuing a career serving as a social worker in rural communities like those in Wyoming -- says the conference experience strengthened her preparation to work in rural community health care.

“Having recently entered the world that is social work, I have felt the impending pressure of entering a rural workforce where I might be the only social worker in my space,” Pfister says. “To say the least, it has been intimidating to put so much capital into both a personal pursuit and professional field where I will often be outnumbered. Thus, during the opening plenary, it was a great pleasure to learn that there were 2,300 social workers in attendance for the conference -- meaning there were nearly twice as many social workers staying in my hotel as there are in the state of Wyoming.”

Pfister’s trip was funded by the Division of Social Work and the College of Health Sciences Dean’s Office, which is dedicated to supporting students’ research.

“Morgan’s conference attendance was made possible thanks to donations from Giving Day,” says Professor Valerie Thompson-Ebanks, the social work program director. “I sincerely thank everyone who donated to the UW Division of Social Work on Giving Day and throughout the year. Your generosity makes student research and professional conference attendance like this possible, impacting not only their futures but also the lives of those they will serve.”

Patrick Hardigan, dean and professor of the UW College of Health Sciences, says that having resources to help students with education-related travel, equipment and lab space is becoming an increasingly important part of student success in higher education.

“These resources enable students to gain hands-on experience and stay at the forefront of their fields,” Hardigan says. “The University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences is committed to providing these opportunities for our students. We are especially proud of Morgan and her mentor, Dr. Sukyung Yoon, for their dedication and accomplishments in advancing their studies.”

To learn more about the UW Division of Social Work, visit www.uwyo.edu/socialwork/index.html.

About the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences

UW’s College of Health Sciences trains health and wellness professionals and researchers in a wide variety of disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, speech-language pathology, social work, kinesiology, public health, health administration and disability studies. The college also oversees residency and fellowship programs in Casper and Cheyenne, as well as operating a speech/hearing clinic in Laramie and primary care clinics in Laramie, Casper and Cheyenne.

With more than 1,600 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, the college is dedicated to training the health and wellness workforce of Wyoming and conducting high-quality research and community engagement, with a particular focus on rural and frontier populations.